In Pune, a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police and four others, including his wife and son, have been booked for allegedly cheating a city-based businessman of ₹2.4 crore in a long-running land investment fraud case that stretched over several years.
According to the complaint filed by Abhijit Vilas Undre, the accused persons allegedly approached him between December 2016 and May 2025, promising high returns from a 12-acre land parcel located in Boraj village, which they claimed was owned by a Mumbai-based individual and available for immediate sale.
Fake Land Ownership Claims
The accused allegedly built trust by projecting themselves as genuine landowners and invited representatives of the company to their residence in Jubilee Hills as well as their office in Nanakramguda, where they showcased maps, partial documents and property details related to premium locations including TGSPA Circle, ORR service road near Nanakramguda toll gate and FCI Society in Gachibowli.
Investigators later found that several of the land parcels shown to the complainant had unclear ownership, and in some cases, were already involved in disputes or encroachment proceedings, making them legally non-transferable.
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The complaint further states that whenever the company demanded complete documentation such as sale deeds, encumbrance certificates and legal verification papers, the accused repeatedly delayed the process and insisted on advance payment, assuring that documents would be provided later.
Money Transferred Into Accounts
Believing the assurances, the company transferred ₹14.85 crore directly into the accused’s bank accounts in 2021, after which the accused allegedly stopped responding to calls and avoided further meetings with the complainant.
No sale agreement was executed, no property was registered in the company’s name, and no refund was made despite repeated demands from the victim.
Following the complaint, the Economic Offences Wing of Cyberabad police registered a case and launched a detailed investigation into the alleged multi-crore land fraud, examining bank transactions, property records and documentation trails to establish the full extent of the alleged conspiracy.
Wider Network Suspected
Officials are also probing whether more individuals were involved in the network and if the case forms part of a larger organised real estate scam operating across Hyderabad and surrounding regions.
The case has raised concerns in the real estate sector over due diligence lapses, with experts stressing the importance of verifying land titles, legal clearances and ownership documents before making high-value investments.
Police sources said the accused allegedly created a façade of legitimacy by using a shell company and falsified property listings to convince investors that the land deals were genuine and free from legal disputes.
The complainant stated that repeated requests for refund were ignored and later met with threats and evasive responses, forcing him to approach law enforcement authorities for relief. Investigators are also examining financial trails and bank statements linked to multiple accounts to determine how the money was distributed after being transferred by the complainant.
The case is being treated as a significant instance of organised financial fraud in the real estate sector, highlighting the need for stronger regulatory oversight and stricter verification protocols in high-value property transactions. Authorities have not ruled out the involvement of additional accomplices and are continuing to scrutinise communication records and digital evidence related to the transactions.
Further action in the case is expected as the investigation progresses, with police preparing to question the accused and verify property ownership documents from multiple registries to establish the complete chain of alleged fraud.
Officials said the investigation will also focus on identifying any pattern of similar fraudulent land deals in the region involving the same network of individuals or related entities operating under different names.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
